How to activate Elemental Rune Dungeons in Cataclysm Classic, including the new Phase 4 dungeons

Elemental Rune Dungeons are a continuation of the Titan Rune Dungeons introduced in Wrath of the Lich King Classic Phase 2 and function as an optional difficulty mode in Cataclysm Classic dungeons that players can choose to do to earn for higher level rewards as well as currency to purchase with a specific vendor. Now that Phase 4 is live as of February 18, Elemental Rune Dungeons are available in all Cataclysm Classic dungeons, including the three new Phase 4 dungeons. The only dungeons not included will continue to be  Zul’Aman and Zul’Gurub because of their of rewards.

Here’s what we know about how to activate Elemental Rune Dungeons and what you can get from them!

How to activate Elemental Rune Dungeons

The difficulty modifiers for Elemental Rune Dungeons are called “Protocols,” just the like the Titan Rune Dungeons, and each Protocol adds different mechanics or abilities to the enemies in the dungeon. As of Phase 4, there are two Protocols players can activate: Protocol Inferno and Protocol Twilight. You can activate either one by interacting with a floating hourglass titled “Mysterious Elemental Device” near the dungeons entrance after your group has entered the instance, well before the first group of enemies.

Once you interact with the device, a dialogue box will appear and ask you to choose the Protocol to activate. If you choose Inferno, another floating obelisk will appear next to the Mysterious Elemental Device, and if you choose Twilight then an Elemental will appear. All five players need to interact with whichever entity appears to complete the Protocol activation

Each Protocol provides different buffs to the enemies and bosses in a dungeon:

• Protocol Inferno — Fury of the Firelord: Damage increased by 25%. Health increased by 100%.
• Protocol Twilight — Twilight Madness: Damage increased by 50%. Health increased by 150%. Bosses gain the ability Call Blood of Shu’ma.

Activating Protocol Twilight also grants a player buff called Gift of the Dragonflight, with one of four buffs available:

• Gift of the Blue Dragonflight — While not moving, the player gains a stacking damage buff. Stacks fall off if the player moves.
• Gift of the Bronze Dragonflight — While not taking any damage for 10 sec, gain a stacking haste buff. Upon taking damage, a stack of the haste buff is remove.
• Gift of the Green Dragonflight — Your direct healing spell casts grant a stacking damage buff, while your damaging spell casts grant a stacking healing increase buff.
• Gift of the Red Dragonflight — Upon a successful block, dodge, or parry instantly unleash a frontal cone of Fire. The effect cannot be triggered more than once every 1 sec.

As Cataclysm Classic continues, we may see more Protocols added, but we don’t know for sure yet. If you don’t have a group, you can join Elemental Rune Dungeons through the dungeon finder, just make note of the recommended 346 ilvl for Protocol Inferno and 353 ilvl for Protocol Twilight before jumping in. If you join through the dungeon finder, can choose which Protocol type to enter without having to interact with the Mysterious Elemental Device.

Rewards from Elemental Rune Dungeons

The main reward for beating dungeon bosses with Protocol Inferno active is a currency called Fissure Stone Fragments that can be exchanged with a new vendor, Kyanite Stonetender, for Normal and Heroic Tier 11 gear, trinkets, and jewelry. Defeating dungeon bosses while Protocol Twilight is new currency called Obsidian Fragments that are used to purchase Normal Tier 12, Dragon Soul LFR gear, certain Heroic Firelands items, trinkets, and jewelry. Each dungeon boss will drop two Stone Fragments and the final dungeon bosses will drop three Fragments if all of the other dungeon bosses have been killed, with the Stone Fragment type depending on the active Protocol.

Originally published October 28, 2024. Updated February 19, 2025.